Terminal switch or cut-out device for electric-lighting systems



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-*Sheet 1.

W. I. SMITH.

TERMINAL SWITCH OR CUT-OUT DEVICE POR ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEMS.

No. 438,118. Patented Oct. '7, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' W. F. SMITH.

TERMINAL SWITCH 0R CUT-OUT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEMS.

No. 438,118. Patented Oct. 7, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NVALTER E. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED ELECTRIC IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, OF GLOUCESTER CITY,

NETV JERSEY.

TERMINAL SWITCH OR CUT-OUT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC-LIGHTING SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,118, dated October '7, 1890.

Application led .Tune 3, 1890.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VALTER E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county oi Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Terminal Switches or Cut-OutDevices for Electric-Lighting Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to terminal switches or devices for cutting out electric circuits and of a type adapted for use out of doors and in connection withlines or conductors laid underground in conduits, yet nevertheless equally applicable for use in connection with wires or conductors disposed overhead.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to provide a simple, durable, and effizo cient terminal switch or cut-out device for electric-lighting systems; second, to prevent oxidation and corrosion 'of the metallic contacts by excluding gas and vapors from the housing thereof, and, third, to prevent accu- 2 5 mulation of water and moisture in the housing, thus reducin g electrical leakage to a minimum.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more fully understood 3o from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which- Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a terminal switch or cut- 3 5 out device embodying the particular features of my invention and having the cover removed therefrom, and also showing the same in application to a lamp, an overhea-d branch circuit, and an underground line circuit 4o mounted in a conduit filled with an insulating-fluid; and Eig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line fc :r of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa detail View of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, a is the housing of a terminal switch or cut-o ut device having a plane surface and provided with tapped lugs a', in order that an air-tight cover may be irmly secured thereto.

a2 is an orifice formed in the lower portion Serial No. 354,107. (No model.)

of the housing a and adapted for the recep- 5o tion ofa ferrule or gasket h, 'composed of insulating inaterialsuch as hard rubber-pio vided with a depending recessed ring b', so that any water tending to climb up the interior surface of the gasket b by capillary action or otherwise will be defiected and will fall off in drops or streams without entering the interior ot the housing a.

c, c', and c2 are tapped or internallythreaded orifices formed in the upper portion of the housing.

d and Z2 are insulating-thimbles iittinginto the orifices c and c2, respectively, and adapted for the reception and passage therethrough of wires or conductors. dis a removable insulating screw-plug fitting into the oriiice c and adapted to support a lamp Z2.

e is a block of woodorother insulating niaterial suitably attached to the rear interior portion of the housing a and forming a support for the movable parts of the switch or cut-out.

f, f', f2, and f3 are stationary metallic contacts attached to t-lie block c and insulated from one another. These contacts are provided with binding-posts fL and with lugs f5, respectively.

f6 are pieces or strips of spring metal attached to the lugs f5 of the respective contacts.

g is a centrally-located spindle journaled to ythe block e and extending beyond the housing a.

h is an insulating-disk rigidly attached to the spindle g and having circular strips of metal or movable contacts h and 7b2 attached thereto and extending beyond the periphery between the contacts f, f', f2, and f3 and the pieces or strips of spring` metal f6, attached to the lugs f5, so as to form sliding contacts. These movable contacts h and h2 are insulated from each other by means of the disk h, and are of such length as to extend from one of the stationary contacts f to another of said contacts f3.

i is. an insulating-handle attached to the spindle g and locatedoutside of the housing a., so that the spindle g and parts attached thereto may be readily and safely turned when required.

k is a radial projection attached to the movable contact h and adapted to contact with the lug f5 of the stationary contact f, and also with lug f5 of the stationary contact f', thus limiting the motion of the spindle g. and permitting the handle t' to be turned, so thatthe movable contacts h and h2 bridge or electrically connect the stationary contacts j" andf3 and f and f2, respectively, or so that the movable contacts h and h2 bridge the stationary contacts f and f and f2 and f3, respectively, as may be required.

j is a roof connected with the screw-plug CZ for protecting the instrument from rain or inclement weather.

Z is an underground line-circuit having the line-wires or conductors thereof inclosed in suitable tubes or conduits Z', illed with paraftine, rosin-oil, or other suitable insulating material.

Z2r is a lamp located in a branch circuit.

Zisa branch overhead circuit having lamps Zt arranged in series therein.

In use the tube Z of the underground system is brought above the level of the ground and screwed into the gasket b, and the conductors or line-wires .Z of the underground system are attached to the stationary contacts f and f3 by means of the two lower binding-posts f4. The line-wires of the lamp Z2 and of the branch overhead system Z3, passing through the insulating-gaskets d and (Z2, are attached to the stationary contacts f and f2 by means of the two upper binding-postsf4. The interior of the housing a, as well as the interior of the tube or conduit Z communieating therewith, is completely filled with parafline, rosin-oil, or other equivalent4 insulating substance, which prevents any accumulation of gas or moisture in the housing a, and also preventing electrical leakage, and thus appreciably enhancing the efficiency and economy ofthe switch or cut-out device.

The rosin-oil, paraiiine, or equivalent material may be readily introduced into the housing a by means of and through the oriiice c or c2, or in any other convenient mann er.

The mode of operation of the cut-out or terminal switch, hereinbefore described, is as follows: When vrequired to include the branch circuit Z3 and lamp Z2 in the main-line circuit Z, the handle t' is turned so as to occupy the position illustrated in the drawings, and the current entering the stationary contacts f and f3 traverses the movable contacts h and h2, the lamp Z2, and the branch circuit Z3. The lamp Z2 and branch circuit Z3 may be cut out and the main-line circuitZ short-circuited by turning the handle t toward the right until the extension lo strikes against the stationary contact f. The main-line current will then traverse the stationary contacts f and f3 and the movable contact h2.

Although the invention has been described with reference to its use or employment with underground conduits in connection with overhead circuits, still it will be obvious that itmay be applied to other circuits without departing from the spirit of the inventionfor example, to overhead systems, in which case it would only be necessaryV to close the space between the sides of the gasket and thev conductors of the main circuit Z in order to retain the insulating liquid, oil, or

iiuid in the housing a.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a conduit, a linecircuit mounted therein, and a terminal switch or cut-out inclosed within an air-tight housing filled with a liuid insulating substance, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with an underground conduit, of a terminal switch or cut-out mounted in an air-tight. housing connected with said conduit and containing a fluid insu-V lating material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of a conduit, a line-circuit mounted therein, a terminal switch or cut-out inclosed within an air-tight housing iilled with a fluid insulating substance or mai terial, a branch circuit or circuits, and lamps included therein, substantially as and for-thev purposes set forth.

'In witness whereof I have hereunto setmy signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER F. SMITH. Witnesses:

LrsLE S'roKEs, THOMAS M. SMITH.

IDO 

